Things are really starting to show their colors here in our Tennessee gardens. The spring flowering plants have displayed their petals and are preparing for next season. The daffodils and tulips are long gone. The salvia has given its first performance and is ready for dead-heading to prepare for the next show. Many of the plants in our gardens flower from summer through fall. Once planted these plants are pretty much take care of themselves.

One or two buds remain on our irises but most have finished blooming and are producing their seed heads. This picture shows the last of the spring Iris blooms in our yard. The buds appear as dark purple before opening up into a lavender purple color.

Another spring bloomer that still has buds is this viburnum. I'm not sure which kind of viburnum it is but it was a discount plant purchase at the end of the season last year.

Many of the roses are in full bloom right now. This was our Mother's Day gift for my wife. She can enjoy the roses every time they bloom, not just in the vase.

The summer flowering perennials are beginning to bloom. Alphabetically by its botanical name this flower could almost be first and last. Achillea millefolium is its botanical name but yarrow is it's common name. This is one of several Achillea plants that we have and I think this picture is of the 'Paprika' cultivar. It's easy to lose track of what you take pictures of with a digital camera!

What summer garden would be complete without a daylily (Hemerocallis)? In our gardens we have the 'Stella de Oro', 'Crimson' Pirate, and another unnamed orange kind. The orange ones were taken from divisions at my mother-in-law's house. The Stellas were here before we were and the 'Crimson' Pirates (Arrrr! Sorry had to say that.) came from a box. Those box purchases aren't very good, you would think I'd learn. Only three of the twelve have come up. If tho4se three are happy so am I. They should multiply very rapidly and then I'll be able to make some divisions.

Here is one of my selfish favorites right now. I collected seed from my mother-in-law's coreopsis last summer and planted them in pots. They grew into small plants by fall and I put them into various places around the yard. They are all doing fantastic and seem to be about 12-18 inches tall with buds all over. I can't wait to share the blooming birdbath garden with you. I put the coreopsis with coneflowers, salvia, a butterfly bush and some ornamental grass. I'll post about that spot in a few days once more blooms have arrived.

Here is one of the coneflowers I just mentioned. This is the bud of a 'Sunset' or 'Sunrise' coneflower. Unfortunately I can't remember which but we'll find out soon. The 'Sunset' Echinacea has a deep orange color while 'Sunrise' tends to show a vibrant yellow flower. I may have it written down somewhere but having a surprise is always fun.

Here's another shot of the coneflower a little farther along. We should find out soon what flower it may hold. Any guesses?